Here is the latest news from The Associated Press at 9:40 a.m. EDT

May 12, 2018

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says it will hold a “ceremony” for the dismantling of its nuclear test site later this month, ahead of leader Kim Jong Un’s June summit with President Donald Trump. North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday that all of the tunnels at the country’s northeastern testing ground will be destroyed by explosion, and that observation and research facilities and ground-based guard units will also be removed.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Low turnout and voting irregularities mark the initial hours of voting in Iraq’s first elections since the country declared victory over the Islamic State group. In an effort to get more people to the polls, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi partially lifted a security curfew Saturday morning. After weeks of official campaigning, no clear front-runner has emerged in Iraq’s national election as al-Abadi faces stiff competition from political parties with closer ties to Iran.

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was an impromptu bit of dinner diplomacy between Israeli’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu and an Emirati ambassador. And it sheds light on one of the Arab world’s worst kept secrets: quiet ties with Israel that are increasingly coming out in the open. In March, Netanyahu and a group hosted by the diplomat were dining at a Washington restaurant at the same time. At the request of the envoy’s guests, Netanyahu and his wife joined briefly, and he answered some questions on Iran and other topics.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump wants to make a deal with California for a single, national fuel economy standard, a key concern for automakers he met with Friday. Trump agreed to have Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt handle the talks. That’s according to two people who were briefed on the meeting. The auto industry wants to relax the federal fuel economy standards, but not so much that they provoke a legal fight with California.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s long-promised plan for lowering drug prices won’t take on the pharmaceutical industry he previously accused of “getting away with murder. A raft of smaller measures designed to increase competition and transparency could avoid a clash with drugmakers but may underwhelm Americans seeking relief from rising pharmacy costs. Trump says his plan is the most sweeping in the nation’s history.